Born in Miami to Panamanian and Cuban immigrants, Miami-based artist riela used her exposure to different art forms and music genres like disco, pop, R&B, and Panamanian reggaetón to create her own fresh mix of pop and R&B. If you’re a fan of latin pop with the vibe of Kali Uchis or Omar Apollo, this one’s for you. Today, riela shares her new single "if you let me."
Over a loose and sauntering electric guitar and an 808 trap beat, riela effortlessly blends verses in Spanish and English. When the chorus adds a booming bass, it brings the song to its highest potential. The lyrics relate to that feeling that you’re not getting the same amount of support and effort in a relationship as much as you’re putting in. Even if you couldn’t understand some of the lyrics, the desire and melancholy is tangible in her vocals. Soft and bubbly, it’s easy to drift and rise to cloud nine.
riela doesn’t just speak her mind in her lyrics. She has a great sense of herself and the direction she wants to take her music when she shares, "When you are so educated on your roots and know where you come from, fuck all the noise and what anyone says, cause I know who I am. […] Most if not all of my songs are bilingual. It’s the way I speak in real life / the way most Miamians speak in general. […] It’s important for me to write and sing in the way I speak so listeners can understand an important part of who I am within a song."
"if you let me" comes off her upcoming sophomore EP, llorar y perrear.
Connect with riela: Spotify | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
